Two new reports have suggested that Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, along with its wider military campaigns across the Middle East, has been sustained by substantial United States financial support amounting to more than $21 billion since October 2023.
The findings, published by the Costs of War Project at Brown University and the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, indicate that the wars against Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, and Yemen could not have continued without consistent US financial, military, and diplomatic backing, according to an Al Jazeera report.
The reports argue that the Israeli military’s operations in Gaza and beyond have relied heavily on American funding, weapons, and logistical aid, enabling it to carry out extensive attacks on multiple fronts for nearly two years.
The study, US Military Aid and Arms Transfers to Israel, October 2023–September 2025, authored by William D Hartung, details how the Israeli army has been able to intensify its military campaigns only through sustained American support, while a companion report by Linda J Bilmes of Harvard Kennedy School estimates total US spending on Israel-related military operations at between $31.35 billion and $33.77 billion since October 2023.
The analysis highlights that without this level of US involvement, Israel would not have been able to continue its large-scale bombardment of Gaza, initiate a war with Iran, or repeatedly attack Yemen.
The reports note that Israel’s campaign in Gaza alone has resulted in at least 67,160 deaths and nearly 170,000 injuries, with thousands more believed to be trapped under the rubble. The same period saw Israel expand its operations to Lebanon, where over 4,000 people were killed as large areas of villages were destroyed, and to Iran, where more than 1,000 people died following an Israeli attack in June.
The strikes on Yemen and ongoing assaults in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem further demonstrate the extent of Israel’s regional military engagement.
Analysts have pointed out that Israel’s capacity to conduct simultaneous wars is inseparable from US financial and diplomatic assistance, given that much of the weaponry and ammunition used in these operations originates from American manufacturers. While Israel produces some of its own military technology, the reports emphasise that it relies on the United States for bombs, missiles, and other critical equipment.
The US has historically been Israel’s most steadfast ally and its largest cumulative recipient of foreign aid, having received more than $150 billion by 2022. Annual American assistance to Israel stands at around $3.3 billion, and both the Biden and Trump administrations reportedly committed tens of billions of dollars in arms sales agreements that will continue to be fulfilled in the coming years.
Despite decades of bipartisan political backing for Israel, public sentiment in the US appears to be shifting. Growing numbers of Americans, including Jewish citizens, are increasingly critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, with recent polls suggesting that many now view its actions as constituting genocide or war crimes.